Is this happily ever after?
by moonangel1
Summary: After the battle with Beryl, Luna wonders if the destined prince and princess will be able to get past the hardest challenge their love has ever faced: living normal lives.


i feel bad that i haven't finished my other fanfic. so i decided to post this random fic i've  
been working on, on and off. it starts off kinda sappy-ish, but i wanted to have that lovey  
dovey effect for contrast. this is a fic in the R season only, the senshi aren't revived. they   
just go on and live normal lives. lot of introspection. yeah, i think too much. the first part   
will seem sappy but trust me, the tone changes drastically. it's kinda odd that way, but hey,   
i like confusing peops.   
(actually i'm reposting this because of a lot of spelling errors, but i left most of the original   
author's notes anyways)  
  
IMPORTANT: Set in R season. After re-reading this I realized that the mushy intro would   
have scared *me* away. So I just want to tell you that the romanticized prince and princess   
part doesn't last long but does have a purpose and is meant to make you feel a bit ill. You'll   
see odango atama and mamoru-baka in no time. It's really just a prologue of sorts.  
  
Disclaimer: i don't own sailormoon... that's annoying to keep saying that. i mean, you know that. i know that  
everyone does!  
  
  
  
is this happily ever after?  
by moonangel   
  
  
  
The rain fell as the ethereal beauty stared out her bedroom window forlornly. The moon bathed her slender   
body in its warm light, giving her normally golden locks a silver sheen, contrasting greatly with her gloomy   
surroundings as her eyes stared longingly into the darkness of the night. She missed him terribly. More than   
anything. He said he'd return today but with everything that was going on she knew it was too risky for   
him to come.  
  
"Serenity!"  
  
Her eyes widened and she ran to her balcony, suddenly oblivious to the rain falling harshly on her delicate  
body.   
  
"Endymion?"  
  
"Hai, it's me," the hidden figure called out, entering the moonlit garden. He stood proudly in the rain,   
his dark form the epitome of nobility and power, even in his drenched cloak and armor. His raven hair   
glistened in the rain and his sharp blue eyes shone silver as their gaze rested intently on her.   
  
Her eyes creased with worry.   
  
"Endymion, you are soaked! Come inside before you become ill."  
  
"Beloved, how can you worry about me right now? Hurry inside, you are soaking!"  
  
He gracefully leaped onto her balcony and in seconds was by her side, a gentle hand on the small of her   
back as he hurriedly led her to the shelter of her room, immediately draping a blanket around her shivering  
form.   
  
"I cannot believe that you came. It's too dangerous for you to be here," she fretted.   
  
He glanced up at her, after drying himself the best he could with another blanket. He walked  
over to stand before her, gentle fingers lifting her chin to face his him as he stared deeply into her gentle  
eyes.   
  
"I promised you that I would always return to you and I never break my promises. I could not stay away.  
Even if they believe I am the enemy at least you must know that I would never do anything to cause you   
any pain my love."  
  
  
  
"Owie, that *hurt*!"  
  
Tsukino Usagi rubbed her sore behind, a scowl clouding her normally pleasant features. She lay sprawled  
on the sidewalk, her skirt riding a bit high and her golden hair in a slight disarray. The object of her  
fiery glare just shrugged, fighting a losing battle to keep a devilish grin off his handsome features.  
  
"No kidding Odango Atama. That is the feeling you get when your, er, rear end hits the pavement. I'd have   
thought you'd be used to that by now."  
  
"Grrr... You baka, why are you always standing in my way?"  
  
"Well why are you always crashing into me?" a smirking Chiba Mamoru replied.   
  
Usagi blew a wisp of hair out of her eyes and retorted, "Because you're always standing in my way!"  
  
He sighed, "Uh, Odango you said that already. Geez, don't tell me your tiny little brain already ran out of   
comebacks so you've resorted to recycling statements now. I knew your vocabulary was lacking but..."  
  
He trailed off, eyes rolling skyward.   
  
"Mamoru-baka! If I wasn't so late I'd- oh Kami-sama I'm reaaalllly late now! Haruna-sensei's gonna kill me!!"  
  
And with that last loud shriek she left in a cloud of dust. Mamoru cocked his head to the side, staring   
blankly after her. Shaking his head, a bemused smile on his face, he turned and walked in the other   
direction, feeling oddly chipper.   
  
  
  
From a nearby tree two troubled eyes followed the man's form as he turned the corner. She sighed.   
  
**flashback**  
  
Luna turned to Artemis, "I feel sad for them. They lost all the memories of when they were together."  
  
He smiled reassuringly at her, "Don't worry. They'll meet again."  
  
She nodded, slightly comforted. "You're right. And they'll fall in love again. They were meant to be after all."  
  
Yet somehow she didn't feel incredibly convinced.   
  
**end flashback**  
  
After the fight with Beryl she and Artemis had decided to let Usagi have her wish, allowing her and the   
others to live normal lives, believing that it would all work out in the end. But now she was starting to   
wonder why that had been Usagi's wish, why she hadn't chosen to be with her love. Now it had been five   
months since and while the girls had become close friends all over again Usagi and Mamoru remained   
enemies. Was this what Usagi really wanted?  
  
She'd thought that this could be a good test for their love at first. But, she wondered, in modern times   
would they really fall in love again? Everyone had considered them to be soulmates. But where was the  
proof? So they'd loved each other and died for each other. That was certainly not something to be taken   
lightly. But that didn't exactly qualify them to have the greatest love of all time. And this was Tsukino   
Usagi and Chiba Mamoru that she was dealing with. She was starting to see just how different they were   
from their past selves.   
  
In the twentieth century everything was different. He was in college and she'd barely just entered high   
school. A relationship between them was something that she doubted would ever cross their minds   
considering the age difference. Twenty year olds simply did not date fifteen year olds. She wondered if   
their love could overcome something like that. All the obstacles they'd faced a thousand years ago seemed  
trivial compared. It had kept them apart, but could never keep them from realizing their love. A man like   
Mamoru just didn't go around dating girls he could only see as children and wouldn't even consider a girl  
so young to be a love interest even if somewhere below the surface he had feelings for her. (AN: well, he   
and rei didn't really date, not in his eyes at least).   
  
Now all she could do was stand aside and let things take their course. But what exactly did destiny have   
planned for the two?  
  
  
  
Furuhata Motoki looked up when he heard a crash just outside the arcade just in time to see a bouncing   
bunny quickly hopping to her feet.   
  
"Heh heh, it's alright, I'm ok, nothing's damaged," the girl's cheery voice exclaimed sheepishly.   
  
He sweatdropped.  
  
Mizuno Ami, Hino Rei, Kino Makoto and Aino Minako piled in after her with slightly less enthusiasm.   
  
Usagi plopped down on the counter. She flashed a megawatt grin at Motoki and asked, "Motoki-onii-san,   
can I have a chocolate shake, cheeseburger, a slice of strawberry cake, pizza and some fries? Oh, wait, what  
do you guys want? "  
  
Rei groaned, "Odango, why do I let myself be seen in public with you?"  
  
"Maybe you're sadistic."  
  
"Minako-chan, I think you mean masochistic," Ami informed her friend.   
  
Rei snorted, "Hey, I'm surprised she actually even knew that word."  
  
Before Minako could retort a familiar voice said, "Aw, Odango Atama's so amusing to have around. It's   
good entertainment."  
  
Usagi flinched, shoulders tensing. He could to get her so riled up, even when he wasn't even doing   
anything. She'd feel ready to bounce off the walls (or more like on his *head*) whenever he was around.   
She groaned. It seemed that she was simply destined to hate him.   
  
Her sunny demeanor having disappeared at the sound of his voice, she whipped around to face him.  
"Mamoru-baka, why do you always turn up everywhere I go??"  
  
"Odango, Motoki's my best friend and I do visit here often."  
  
"Well, why are you always here when I'm here??"  
  
He was about to make another dry comment when Ami interrupted, curiously saying, "She does have a   
point. You just entered the same time you always seem to and Usagi-chan habitually arrives at this   
time, with or without us. With a job and a varying schedule of classes at the university I'd think that it   
would be inconvenient to always arrive at the same time, especially since it's when school let's out for  
evyerone and all the middle schoolers come here."  
  
All eyes turned to the dark haired man. Motoki raised an eyebrow at him.   
  
Mamoru blinked, looking slightly thrown.  
  
"I- I never thought about that. Three o'clock just always seemed like a good time," he finished off lamely. It  
was hard to give an excuse when you weren't even sure what the excuse was.  
  
Rei grinned evilly, "Really. Hm. It's funny how you're always running into her in the mornings too. It seems  
like every day she's complaining about some kind of run in with you."  
  
Mamoru's cheeks were almost pink by now. "I just- I don't know. As I said, she makes life interesting. I   
need some entertainment after a long day of school and work. Anyways, if she wants to avoid me she   
should've changed her schedule by now."  
  
Five pairs of eyes turned to Usagi. She blinked, "Nani?! Why are you looking at me?? It's not *my* fault   
that school ends around three or that I always wake up late in the morning!"  
  
Makoto smirked, "Well, maybe that last part is. But I think Usagi-chan has a point. It's all Mamoru's fault."  
  
Blue eyes glared in her direction. "I can't believe this. You make it sound like I'm stalking Odango."  
  
Ami tilted her head in thought, murmuring, "Well, maybe not technically but-"  
  
Usgai blanched, "Ewww... that-that *thing* stalking me?!"  
  
The funny feeling in her stomach that he always caused in her got worse. Funny, it was kind of thrilling.   
Maybe *she* was masochistic. She shook those thoughts out of her head. "Minna, you're forgetting that   
we *hate* each other."  
  
Mamoru felt himself flinch, not taking that comment as well as he'd expect to, but shrugged it off, saying,   
"For once, Odango's right. You guys are thinking this over too much. Maybe I might enjoy our sparring   
sessions too much but hey, it's fun making her late to school and pissing her off daily."  
  
Everyone sweatdropped as Usagi's temper flared and their daily argument started, only a bit later than   
usual.   
  
  
  
A lone figure walked through the park later that night, disturbed by the day's events. Ami had always been  
dead on in her observations and her comment shook him slightly. His explanation had seemed logical   
enough, even to him, and the others had accepted it easily. But he couldn't seem to get the whole incident   
out of his head. He had never thought that he'd actually enjoyed running into Usagi. It just seemed to   
keep happening and he had just let it. That was life. The sky was blue, the sun rose from the east (or   
was it the west?), and Chiba Mamoru and Tsukino Usagi always ran into each other. And fought. And   
hated each other... It was a fact. Yet shouldn't he try to change things so he wouldn't always run into her?   
Shouldn't he *want* to change things? Why did he just let his life fall into this pattern that seemed to   
revolve around her?   
  
He'd used to visit Motoki only occasionally, and at different times of the day to accommodate his schedule.   
But after Usagi came along he'd found himself visiting more often. He'd never thought about it. The   
change in his schedule just- happened, without his noticing it. That was life. Things changed and he went   
with the flow. Only... it seemed like this time he was the one that had changed things.   
  
  
  
Motoki nodded distractedly as Unazuki rambled on as he drove them home from work. His mind kept   
wandering to the Usagi/Mamoru confrontation today. They'd fought like normal but something about   
Ami's comment bugged him. Mamoru had given them a good reason. But then again there had been that  
slight blush on his face... Chiba Mamoru _never_ blushed. It was one of those rare occurrences, as common  
as Usagi acing a test, or Ami getting less than an A on one. Mamoru couldn't be interested in Usagi right?   
No way. Usagi was a billion years younger than him and Mamoru was also never into girls. In fact it had   
taken him quite a while to convince Motoki that he wasn't gay. Well, his fashion sense should have proved   
that. Motoki shuddered, picturing the green jacket..   
  
'Ok, anyways, back to the topic,' Motoki reminded himself as he turned a corner. It just wasn't possible.   
Wasn't that, like, illegal for Mamoru to go after Usagi? She was just a kid! Weellll, ok, not illegal. They'd   
have to, uh, cough, do more than go out for that. Er, anyways... ^^;.... for some reason when he pictured   
them together it seemed... natural. They could make a cute couple. They complemented each other perfectly,  
light and dark, serious and cheerful, intelligent and ditzy... well, ok, that last one kinda sounded like a funny  
match, but still. Somehow the picture of them together just stuck in his mind.   
  
Now that he thought of it Mamoru had lightened up these last few months. He laughed more, smiled more   
and even joked more. He was more alive with Usagi than Motoki had ever seen him, even if all they did was   
argue. Motoki had never noticed the change in Mamoru until now. It's not that Mamoru had ever been   
depressed, though. It just seemed that he'd never truly cared about anything all that much. He enjoyed   
things, sure... but he never really got excited or felt strong emotions, until now. Quite the opposite of   
Usagi, who got excited over food. It seemed that she had been a good influence on Mamoru. Still,   
could they really have a relationship with such a huge age gap? And didn't Usagi hate him?  
  
  
  
"Ooohhh, this is so unfair. It's not even a school day and we're still running into each other. Geez, maybe   
Mako-chan was right about you stalking me. You stupid baka, what do you have under that shirt of yours,   
bricks?! *Sigh*. I woke up thinking, 'Gee, it would be so nice and relaxing to go to the park-'"  
  
Mamoru felt his cheeks redden slightly at her unintentional compliment. He looked away. He certainly   
hadn't planned on this run in. For some reason it was leaving him a bit flustered.   
  
"Usagi, gomen. I didn't mean to run into you," he said, offering his hand to pull her up off the pavement.   
  
She stared at him as if he had three heads. Yesterday he'd practically admitted that he lived to make her   
miserable and now he was apologizing? And wait, he actually knew her real name?  
  
"Er... Mamoru-san are you ok right now? I mean, this is the part where you insult me and make me cry. And  
did you just say my name?"  
  
He apologized, eyes downcast, "Gomen-nasi Usagi-chan. I never wanted to make you cry."  
  
Feeling unsettled by his almost solemn mood, Usagi stared at him. She then shrugged. He was human after  
all. It wasn't like he didn't occasionally feel down like normal people right? It was just... weird.   
  
"Aw, don't worry, I'd cry over spilled milk. Even I have to admit that," she said, waving her hand   
dismissively.  
  
Mamoru managed a half smile, eyes, dancing a little, "Yeah, you do don't you?"  
  
Completely ignorant of the gentle look in his eyes Usagi glared at him, "Well you don't have to be so   
agreeable about it! I was trying to be nice! Some grateful baka you are!"  
  
He laughed, cheering up slightly. Somehow his bad moods seemed to disappear around her. Now that he   
thought of it, he wasn't ever half as moody as he used to be...  
  
"Odango, you're so kawaii."  
  
She opened her mouth to retort then paused, a blank look on her face. It really was a pretty face, Mamoru  
admitted. She was so full of life. And whenever she was around she filled him with energy. He'd never felt  
this way before. Yet he'd felt it every time he was near her, he'd just never recognized it for what it was.   
Until now.   
  
Usagi was beyond the point of comprehension. Did he just call her cute?! She knew that she may not be the   
brightest apple in the tree (there's a line Minako 'd appreciate ^_~) but she was pretty certain that he was   
supposed to be trading insults with her right now and that didn't exactly sound like an insult. Finally she   
managed to say something halfway intelligent.  
  
"Wha- wait, you just- nani???"  
  
Well, ok, semi-intelligent.   
  
Grinning, Mamoru noted that he really was enjoying himself right now. Sure he'd been a bit thrown when   
they'd run into each other, but everything about being with her just felt so natural. He tilted his head in   
thought, "You know, Usagi-chan, I really enjoy these little chats with you. Nice to see you in something  
other than a school uniform. That outfit you're wearing, it looks cute on you. Well, I'll leave you to your   
nice, relaxing stroll around the park. Ja ne!"  
  
He walked away in a fairly cheerful mood, leaving a sputtering odango atama behind him.   
  
  
  
"Are you sure that baka's a hundred percent ok? He seemed pretty loony to me today."  
  
Motoki smiled, "He's fine as far as I know. You know, you seem awfully worried about him. And why won't  
you tell me what he said to you?"  
  
She blushed, "Er, I hardly remember. He was just spewing nonsense. And he actually used my name!"  
  
"Sure, riiight. You seem to be blushing quite a bit Usagi-chan. Maybe you have a crush on him."  
  
She practically spit our her soda, her face bright red.  
  
"Nani?? Has everyone gone mad today? Motoki-san, you couldn't have just said that about me and   
Mamoru-baka!"  
  
"What about you and me?"  
  
Usagi whirled around and Motoki wondered if her face could get any redder. Probably not.   
  
"Eek!"  
  
Mamoru chuckled, "Nice to see you too Odango."  
  
She looked beyond flustered, "Er, gomen Motok-onii-chan, but I have to go. I just remembered that I'm   
meeting the girls at the temple and Rei-chan'll kill me if I'm late 'cuz that'll be the fourth time this week and  
I can't let that happen since I just know she's not going to let me read her new manga from now on and you   
know I don't want to stick around for another round of insults with this baka so, um, bye!!!"  
  
She zoomed away, leaving them gawking at her.   
  
After recovering Motoki eyed Mamoru, who seemed to be fighting off the beginnings of a smile on his face.   
  
"You like her."  
  
Mamoru raised an eyebrow, smirking. "You're reading too much into things."  
  
"Sure Mamoru..." Motoki replied, pretending to be concentrating on wiping the counter as he watched  
his friend return to staring at the spot where a certain odango haired young girl had just recently occupied.  
  
"... whatever you say."  
  
  
  
Luna smiled as she strolled out of the arcade. Her mood seemed a bit better than before. She smiled. Things  
would work out. They always did with these two.  
  
She wondered how she'd ever doubted it.   
  
  
end  
  
  
Ok, sorry minna for not giving a happy ending. I feel evil, especially since I hate it when people do this and   
I'd originally intended this to be longer and have the two get together. But I'm working on a sequel. It just   
seemed so fitting to end it that way and who am I to argue with what works? I like to think I'm like  
Joss Whedon; I let the story tell itself and allow it to go in the direction that I find it heading (oook  
so I'm no Joss Whedon, but still!). Anyways, it was the point of the story: Renewed hope. The beginning   
was, though random, was there to emphasize the difference between Endymion and Serenity's relationship   
and Mamoru and Usagi's. Also, it's important for the sequel. If I ever do finish the sequel re-read that intro part.   
  
(Warning: these next few paragraphs are just my rambling about motivation, etc. I don't know why I'm   
keeping this in here... )  
  
I just wanted to write something closer to the anime. So Mamoru isn't some super romantic guy or   
major depressed loner aching for love, or lady's man (since it always seems to be one of those), and  
Usagi's not good with the witty comments, nor is she obsessed with him. Well, she's not *aware*   
that she's obsessed with him. This is first season we're talking about here. Also Motoki isn't   
immediately scheming to get them together (not that I mind those fics, or any of the aforementioned   
ones ^_~) or totally comfy with the idea of them. In the anime he feels bad that Mamoru acts so   
inconsiderate to Usagi and is clueless to the fact that he's dealing with two soulmates.   
  
I also wanted their love to be more natural and subtle, to have had it grow over time, not be obsession from  
day one (oooh, read Mintaka's "Since We First Met" on Moonromance.com if you want to see growing love   
done right). I thought it'd be nice to have Mamoru grow to accept it while Usagi's in denial, which is kind of  
how it is in the anime and manga (like where she follows him and Rei on their "date" but denies being jealous).   
See the japanese version, it's more hinty about his feelings. I mean, he might not being too expressive but   
when need be, or when she forces him ^^;, he'll be honest about how he feels. He doesn't hide from it.   
Remember, in the anime he does actually tell her that he loves her!   
  
And... yeah, I'm way too introspective huh? Well, review if you'd like!   
  
PS. random fact: the short flashback conversation between luna and artemis is almost the exact translation  
of their conversation at the end of the first season. i just extended it a bit. 


End file.
